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“I know,” Hyacinth said, trying to appear suitably solemn

She failed

Miserably

Finally, she gave up and said, “But wasn’t it fun?”

For a moment she didn’t think he would respond For a moment it seemed all he was capable of was a dull, stupefied stare But then, she heard his voice, low and disbelieving “Fun?”

She nodded “A little bit, at least” She pressed her lips together, working hard to turn the out with laughter

“You’restern and shocked and—God help her—sweet, all at the sa mad,” he said “Everyone told me, but I didn’t quite believe—”

“Someone told you I was mad?” Hyacinth cut in

“Eccentric”

“Oh” She pursed her lips together “Well, that’s true, I suppose”

“Far too much work for any sane man to take on”

“Is that what they say?” she asked, starting to feel slightly less than complimented

“All that and more,” he confirmed

Hyacinth thought about that for a ed “Well, they haven’t a lick of sense, any one of them”

“Good God,” Gareth randmother”